As a physician, I hear, "I read it on the internet" all the time. The problem is that Dr. Google is rarely the source of living a healthy life. Indeed, our culture is full of messages that run counter to a true understanding of wellness. While gym membership can be helpful, the shame that comes from not using it is not. In fact, the people in the gym ads all look like they took happy pills. The message is that you will be happy too if you just look like them. But it doesn't work that way. The path to wellness begins with understanding that we are created to be in a relationship with others and a power greater than we are.
And you are the expert of taking care of yourself. You are the one who knows what brings you joy and what drives you to despair. Finding the blessings in your life is a much greater motivator than anything Google can tell you. Who really loves you? Who stands with you if you suffer? Where do you find meaning in your life? Where do you find the connections that enrich your body and spirit? If you start here, you will begin your road to wellness in a way that can be sustained. This is Dr. Scott Morris for Church Health.
